Combined statue, lamp, and loudspeaker



Jam. w, 1937. c. J. APPLESTAM COMBINED STATUE, LAMP, AND LOUDSPEAKER Filed Oct. 29, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. W, 1937. c. J. APPLESTAM COMBINED STATUE, LAMP, AND LOUDSPEAKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 29, 1935 3mm 6. 7- fl a aieafam.

Patented Jan. 19, 1937 UNITED STATES COMBINED STATUE, LAMP, AND LOUD- SPEAKER Charles J. Applestam, Boston, Mass.

Application October 29, 1935, Serial No. 47,313

ZClaims.

This invention relates to a combined statue, lamp and loudspeaker and seeks, among other objects, to provide a device of this character which will be ornamental, useful and convenient.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device embodying a statue representing a miniature sculptured nude male figure holding aloft an electric bulb, whereby the statute will be utilizedas a pedestal to form an attractive table lamp.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device embodying a loudspeaker unit which may be connected with any popular radio set, as now in general use, so that while the device is being employed as a table lamp, for instance, it may also serve as an ingenious loudspeaker.

A further object of the invention, in connection with the foregoing, is to provide a device wherein the sound waves from the loudspeaker unit will be emitted from the mouth of the statue to thus create the illusion that the statue originates the sounds.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device wherein the statue will stand upon a base, wherein the loudspeaker unit will be mounted within the base and wherein the base will be provided with a sound-insulating lining designed to minimize the escape of stray sounds from the base to possibly annoy anyone desiring to listen to the sounds proceeding from the mouth of the statue.

And the invention seeks, as a still further object, to provide an improved mounting for the loudspeaker unit adapted to protect said unit from shocks and vibration.

Other and incidental objects of the invention will appear during the course of the following description and in the drawings which form part of my application,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved device.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view particularly showing the mounting of the light socket.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view showing the,

upper end of the sound tube at the mouth of the figure of the statue.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view particularly showing the base and associated parts. Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 4.

In carrying the invention into effect, I employ a cylindrical metal base l which is preferably fluted, as shown, to enhance the appearance thereofand, as" best seen in Figure 4, the base is provided witha flat top wall I I but is open at the bottom. Fitting within the lower end of the base is a preferably wooden closure l2 removably secured in position by an appropriate number of radially arranged screws extending through the side wall of the base and overlying said closure is a disk l3 of felt or the like which extends over the lower edge of said side wall to prevent scratching of any object upon which the device is positioned.

Integral with the top wall ll of the base III is a miniature statue l4 representing an erect sculptured human male figure in the nude, the left hand being placed upon the left hip andthe right hand being raised over the head. The statue H is of metal and is hollow. Clasped in the right hand of the figure is a hollow metallic sconce or light socket receptacle l5.

Extending from the base 10 up through the statue H, as particularly seen in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings, is a metal conduit IS, the lower end of which is welded or otherwise rigidly fixed to the top wall ll of the base and fitted within the receptacle I is a metal disk I! to which the upper end of the conduit is likewise fixed. The conduit will thus serve to brace and reinforce the statute l4 and frictionally engaged tightly within the upper end of thereceptacle is an appropriate light socket I! which removably receives an electric light bulb I! in the usual manner. Extending into the base III at one side thereof, as shown in Figure 5, is an electric cord 20 which is freely received through the conduit l8 and, as brought out in Figure 2, the circuit wires of said cord are connected to the terminals of the socket l8, said socket being removable for the purpose. The cord 20, at its free end, preferably carries an appropriate plug so that the light bulb I 9 may be supplied with current. A convenient and attractive table lamp is thus provided, the statue ll forming an unusual and artistic pedestal for the light bulb l9.

Removably fitting within the base III is av sound-insulating lining which is formed of spaced walls 2| of rubber or the like and connecting said walls are spacing webs 22, dead air pockets 23 being thus formed between the walls for minimizing the escape of stray sounds from the base. In the present instance, I have shown the walls 2| as integrally connected by the webs 22 but, if preferred, the webs may be formed on one wall and the other wallformed separately therefrom.

As will be perceived, the sound-insulating lining provides an insulated chamber 24 within the base It and extending from. said chamber upwardly through the figure I4 is a sound tube 25 of metal or other approved material. As shown in Figure 3, the upper end of the tube 25 forms the open mouth of the statue l4, said end of the tube being suitably fixed rigidly to the lips of the head of the figure and, as shown in Figure 4, the lower end of the tube extends snugly through the top wall ll of the base to which will the tube is appropriately fixed so that the tube 25 W111 cooperate with the tube |6 for bracing and reinforcing the statue.

Removably mounted within the insulated cham-- ber 24 of the base I is a loudspeaker unit 26. This unit may be of any approved construction and is provided with the usual circular head 21 and top plate 28 from which latter rises a nipple 29 through which the sound waves from the diaphragm of the unit are emitted. Extending into the base I0 near the cord 20 is an electric cord 30, the circuit wires of which are connected, as shown in Figure 4, to the terminals of theunit. The cord 30 may, of course, be of any approved length so that the loudspeaker unit 26 may thus be readily connected to the proper terminals of any conventional radio set, as now in general use, whereby, when the set is operated and properly tuned, reception will be rendered audible by the loudspeaker unit in the well known manner.

Frictionally gripped over the nipple 29 of the loudspeaker unit 26 is an elastic rubber coupling 3|, the smaller end of which is similarly engaged over the lower end of the sound tube 25 for connecting said unit with the tube and supporting said unit is a cage 32 having a plurality of upstanding resilient fingers 33 which embrace the unit and are offset near their upper ends to engage beneath the head 21 of the unit and grip the top plate 28. The fingers 33 are quadrantly spaced so that the loudspeaker unit will thus be centered within the cage and firmly held thereby and depending from the cage at the junction of the fingers is a knob 34. Gripping said knob is the smaller end of a volute spring 35, the larger end of which rests against the closure l2 of the base Ill. The spring 35 will thus press upwardly on the loudspeaker unit to maintain the coupling 3i engaged with the lower end of the sound tube 25 as well as with the nipple 29 while also,

said spring will yieldably sustain and protect said unit against shock or vibration.

As will now be seen in view of the foregoing description, when the loudspeaker unit 26 is in operation, the sound waves generated by said unit will travel upwardly through the tube 25 and will be emitted at the mouth of the statue l4 to thus create the illusion that the perceived sounds are originated by the figure of the statue while any stray sound waves proceeding from the unit will be confined by the sound-insulating lining of the base within the chamber 24 so that disturbing extraneous noises will not be audible. Simultaneously, the device may, if so desired, be utilized as a table lamp while, when the loudspeaker unit is not in operation and the light from the bulb I9 is extinguished, the device will provide an attractive and artistic ornament.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A device of the character described including a base, a statue representing the human figure mounted on the base, a sound-insulating lining fitting within the base and providing a sound-insulated chamber therein, a sound tube extending from said chamber to the mouth of the figure, a loudspeaker unit arranged in said chamber, a flexible coupling connecting said unit with said tube, whereby sound waves generated by said unit will proceed from the mouth of the figure to create the illusion that the perceived sounds are originated by said figure, a cage embracing said unit, and a spring supporting the cage and pressing upwardly on said unit to maintain said coupling engaged with said unit and said tube, the spring and cage yieldably sustaining said unit and protecting said unit from shock and vibration.

2. A device of the character described including a hollow base, a closure therefor, a sound tube extending from the base, a loudspeaker unit arranged within the base, a flexible coupling connecting said unit with said tube, a cage having fingers detachably embracing said unit, and a coil spring interposed between said closure and said cage and cooperating with said coupling to support the unit for floating movement relative to said tube for protecting said unit from shock and vibration.

CHARLES J. APPLESTAM. 

